The embodiments herein relate generally to training aids and methods for individuals and athletes engaging in running activities.
Although sprinting and distance running are primarily lower body activities, proper arm mechanics are particularly important to control tension in the individual's body. The arm swing works in conjunction with the individual's legs and helps to propel him/her forward. More importantly, the proper arm swing enhances runner stability by counteracting the angular momentum produced by the swinging legs and reducing the side-to-side motion of the body's center of mass. The proper arm swing also helps to reduce energy expenditure, which enhances overall running performance.
In running, athletes often do not achieve a proper backswing because their elbows do not drive far enough back into the back space of arm mechanics. This defect in arm mechanics reduces the runner's efficiency by putting generated forces from the arms into inefficient areas, thereby reducing the runner's overall speed. Ultimately, this inefficiency in arm mechanics can negatively affect an athlete's performance in sports or activities that require running including, but not limited to, distance running, cross-country, track and field, football, soccer, basketball and baseball.
Coaches and trainers often provide feedback to athletes who perform sprinting exercises. However, this feedback on the athlete's backswing is not in real-time and is unavailable when the coach or trainer is not present. Several running training aids exist as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0228755 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,590. However, these training aids are limited because they require the use of complex or bulky components and/or do not provide real-time audible feedback on whether the user's arms have been driven far enough in the backswing to achieve proper backside arm mechanics.
As such, there is a need in the industry for a running training aid that addresses the limitations of the prior art, which effectively provides auditory feedback on the arm mechanics of a user during a training session. There is a further need for the running training aid to generate an audible alert to affirm proper backside arm mechanics when the user's arms travel the proper distance during the backswing. There is a further need for the running training aid to provide continuous feedback to the user without the need for a coach to be present.